21 October 2014

Sony Xperia Z4 release date, rumours, news, specs and price

Everything you need to know about the Sony Xperia Z4

The Xperia Z3 might only have been on retailers’ shelves for a couple of weeks, but attention has already turned to the upcoming Sony Xperia Z4 release.

With Sony having adopted a ridiculous habit of updating its flagship phones every six months, the Z4 release date could be closer than you might expect. Keeping time with these launch expectations, the Xperia Z4 rumours are already flowing.
Having overlooked the move to a QHD display with the Z3, it now appears Sony will echo the likes of the LG G3 and Samsung Galaxy Note 4 in adopting the 2K technology. Looking set to pair this resolution improvement with a size bump, recent leaks have claimed the Z4 will mimic the iPhone 6 Plus by jumping to a 5.5-inch panel.

With a 64-bit processor and Google’s latest Android 5.0 Lollipop OS also tipped for inclusion, the Xperia Z4 is shaping up to be a true powerhouse of the smartphone space.

Sony Xperia Z4 Release Date

As you might expect, Sony has yet to offer any formal indication as to when the Xperia Z4 release date will be held. That doesn’t mean we don’t have a an idea of when to expect the iPhone 6 rival though.

Given Sony’s desire to push new phones out before current models have had chance to gain traction, we can expect the Xperia Z4 to land early into the new year.

With the Z3 having touched down in September, this suggests the Z4 is heading for a March unveiling.

Looking set to echo the same launch window as the Xperia Z2, it is expected that the Xperia Z4 release date will be held around MWC 2015. With the Barcelona-based Mobile World Congress to be held between March 2 and 5, keep an eye out for the Z4 on either the opening day of the show, or at a dedicated press conference on Sunday, March 1.

Although having pushed its premature refreshes in the past, the Z4 could be Sony’s last attempt at a six month smartphone cycle.

Discussing the company’s rushed updates recently, MacDougall stated: “This might not necessarily be something we continue in the long term, but for now, in the beginning of the Z series, we believe we can bring experiences which are fresh and new and relevant, and justify for the consumer buying a new product.”

Sony Xperia Z4 News

The Sony Xperia Z4 is widely believed to be heading down the QHD route, with a 5.5-inch 2K panel tipped for inclusion. Such an addition would see a stunning 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution bestowed on the phone.

Although such an addition would see Sony keep pace with latest industry trends, it goes against comments made by the company recently. MacDougall said the Z3 overlooked a 2K panel as, not only would it have a negative effect on battery life, but the visual benefits are not there.

“If we think of this size of screen, even up to 8-inches, they are relatively small screens and it is very difficult for the human eye to discern the difference between 2K and Full HD,” the Xperia head told us.

He added: “If we believe that a key part of the user experience for consumers is to have a longer term battery, and if we believe we can deliver a great screen with Full HD and our Sony technologies, we don’t believe the trade-off between having a 2K screen and battery consumption is the right trade-off for a consumer.”

With the Samsung Galaxy S6 expected to touch down within a similar timeframe with its own QHD panel in tow, it appears Sony has been forced into the move by the competition.

Sony Xperia Z4 Rumours

Android is all but certain to be the OS of choice for the Z4. Sony’s is heavily reliant on the Google platform and with Android 5.0 Lollipop having just been announced, it appears the Z4 will be licking Google’s Lollipop direct from the box.

Although Sony has shed no light on its future phones, with all existing ‘Z’ brand smartphones and tablets confirmed to be getting an Android 5.0 update, it is unlikely the Z4 wouldn't follow a similar trend.

Further Z4 rumours to be doing the rounds surround the phone’s design.

With the company’s flagship phone line having featured largely unchanged boxey designs in recent years, it is expected the Z4 will follow suit. Given the Z3’s streamlined improvements and the current market trends, it is possible the Z4 will look to shave further precious millimeters of the phone's already svelte 7.3mm form factor.

Like Sony's past smartphone efforts, the Z4 is again tipped to add waterproof credentials to its premium, glass-backed design.

Hopefully unlike past Xperia offerings the Z4 will not be plagued by overheating issues when shooting 4K video. Having rendered the Z2's feature all but useless, Sony made minor improvements on this front with the Z3 but there is still room for improvement.

Sony Xperia Z4 Specs

The Sony Xperia Z4 specs sheet could see the handset line up as a market-leading device.

Offering a detailed insight into what the phone has to offer, anonymous tipsters have already leaked the phone’s full specs sheet well ahead of launch. Relayed through GSM Arena, the insiders have revealed the Z4’s 5.5-inch QHD display will be paired with a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor.

With the chipset having already been confirmed ahead of an early 2015 release, the Snapdragon 810’s inclusion is a further indication of the Z4’s imminent release.

Clocked at 2.8GHz, the octa-core chip looks set to partner a massive 4GB of RAM and a new base storage option of 32GB – expandable via microSD.

One area where the Z4 doesn’t look to be getting a specs boost is on the camera front. The Z3’s 20.7-megapixel snapper looks set to live on, although the Z4 could introduce a new lens.

Further Sony Xperia Z4 specs tipped to feature include Bluetooth 4.1 and Cat 6 LTE connectivity options, the latter of which is capable of handling theoretical download speeds of 300Mbps.

With a specs sheet like this, the Z4 would leave the Nexus 6 and OnePlus One in its wake.

Sony Xperia Z4 Price

Given the phone’s array of high-end components, don’t expect the Xperia Z4 to be easy on your wallet. The Z3 has just launched with a £525 SIM-free price tag and we don’t expect the Z4 will be any cheaper. In fact, given the addition of a QHD panel and other premium additions

With the iPhone 6 Plus and Samsung Galaxy Note 4 both already costing wannabe owners northwards of £600, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the Z4 edge closer to this more costly milestone.